Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

The boys then throw their heads back, wailing harder and I…

Well, I do something that, in retrospect, is probably very dumb.

But I gasp and smile broadly, my eyes shining as I lean forward, my voice breathless with joy. “Girls!?” I ask Alvin, thrilled. “They’re girls!?”

“See!” he shouts, staring daggers at me and leaping up from my lap. “You are happy they are girls! You will love them more!”

“No, I –“ I say, trying to wipe the smile from my face and failing.

“Mamaaa,” Ian moans, like his life is ending, slipping bonelessly from his father’s lap to fall in a puddle on the floor. “You will love them – you will forget about us –“

“I won’t, I promise I won’t!”

“You still have me!” Victor offers to the boys, putting out a hand towards him.

Betrayed, I spin on him, my mouth falling open. “What!” I gasp.

“Oh come on, Evelyn,” Victor says, raising his eyebrows seriously at me. “You’re totally going to love two little girls more –“

“What!?” I screech a hand going to my heart, honestly betrayed. “Not more!” I insist, working to say more, but my argument is drowned out but the growing cries of my two sons.

And then, I lose it. I just burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of the whole thing – about finding out that I’m pregnant with a second set of twins because my genius children can hear their sisters’ heartbeats, about being accused of keeping secrets, about Victor taking their side –

I’m shaking with laughter, unable to help myself, and I feel Victor’s arms warm around me, feel him laughing too. The boys continue to cry, but we just…

Well, maybe it’s bad parenting, but we just let them. They are in for a big change – maybe it’s normal for them to feel a little grief over it.

But a few minutes later, I feel little paws against my leg and open my eyes, my laughter abating a little, to see my Ian’s tear-stained face close to me.

“Come on, baby,” I murmur, helping him up onto the bed and into my lap. “Don’t be sad – I promise not to love them more than you.”

“Do you promise to love them less?” he asks, sniffing.

And I can’t help it. I lie. “Sure, baby,” I whisper, smoothing a hand over his hair. “Just for you, I’ll love them just a little tiny bit less. You’re my first babies, after all. It’s only fair.”

he says, smug, and leans his head

angry but wanting to be part of the crew, climbs up into his father’s lap silently. And then we all sit for a minute, catching our breaths, Victor and I looking at each other with

going to have double this, I say to his mind, shaking my head a little. Double the crazy – double the emotions – what if we get pregnant again and then have to convince four kids that we’re going to love

Stop – he says to me with a fervid little push. Let’s just – handle these two, and the two on the way, and we’ll worry about all of that…much,

Ian’s hair, giving him a sniff and basking in the

something occurs to

set him off again. “How did you know?” I

at me curiously, his eyes drying up

they’re girls,” I explain, watching him. “You can’t hear

he says casually as if it’s obvious. “We tried to mind-link with

sharply down at his son. “You

minds yet –“ I say, disbelieving

take that well in his

He hesitates, thinking.

turning to look down at my belly. “We could…touch them. We knew that they

could tell that they will be girls,” Alvin says, assured. “I don’t know how we know. But we

you two could connect with each other because you were…well, because you’re twins. You’ve always been connected.

knowing and perhaps not really

to mind-speak with girls anyway,” Ian

to make sure they were nice to their sisters later. “Well,”

Alvin grumbles. Then, he looks up at Victor and me. “Can you go away

“What?” Victor asks, confused.

need a minute.” Ian says, his voice aloof as he sits up. “We have had a hard morning. We would like some alone time so that we can figure out

I think that is. I don’t want them to think I’m being condescending because, in reality, I think it’s wonderful that

to squeal at the cuteness

The boys move to the other side of the room, talking softly, and I take Victor’s hand,

can leave, though, he stops and calls to Ian and Alvin.

turn to

let’s all keep this a secret, okay? A family secret. Just

nod eagerly, glad to be in on

them as they turn away. Victor and

the hallway, burying his head again against my shoulder. I give a little